a nature preservefor wildlife in Oregon’s

Upper Klamath Basin

SycanMarsh

discover

The Nature Conservancy is a leadingnonprofit organization that preserves plants,

animals and natural communities representingthe diversity of life on Earth by protecting the

lands and waters they need to survive.

To date, the Conservancy and its one millionmembers have helped protect more than 15 million acres in the United States and

have helped preserve more than 102 millionacres in Latin America, the Caribbean,

Asia and the Pacific.

In Oregon, the Conservancy owns or manages48 nature preserves and has helped protect

over 483,000 acres of important habitats.

For more information, please contact:

The Nature Conservancy226 Pine Street

Klamath Falls, OR 97601Phone: 541 273-0789, ext. 1

Fax: 541 273-8045nature.org/oregon

Cover photo: The Wild and Scenic Sycan River

meanders through the marsh © Larry N. Olson

Its name comes from a Klamath Indianphrase meaning “level, grassy place.” Sur-rounded by pine forest in the headwaters ofthe Klamath Basin, a vast wetland provideshabitat to unique and threatened freshwaterspecies. The marsh awakens in early spring to10,000 tundra swans migrating north alongthe Pacific Flyway. Many other birds follow,including breeding greater sandhill cranes,black terns, white-faced ibis and yellow rails.Bull trout and redband trout frequent thecreeks into the marsh, and recently, newspecies of mollusks have been discovered.

The Nature Conservancy first acquired prop-erty at Sycan Marsh in 1980 and today ownsover 30,000 acres – including most of the36-square-mile marsh and portions of thesurrounding forest. In partnership with thehistoric ZX Ranch, which holds a grazinglease, we are researching compatible grazingpractices that will provide economic benefitwhile preserving habitats for fish and wildlife.

While you are hereWe ask our visitors to understand that SycanMarsh is a nature preserve, not a park orrecreation area. To help us protect and restorethis special place – and for your own safety –please observe the following guidelines:

© Stay on the road. Opportunities to walk orhike are limited. No services or facilities areavailable.

© Do not collect plants, insects or otherspecies or disturb soil, rocks, artifacts or sci-entific research markers.

© No hunting, fishing, camping or pets onthe preserve. Nearest campgrounds are at

Silver Creek Marsh and Thompson Reservoir,north of the preserve on USFS Road 27. Formore camping information, please call theU.S. Forest Service at 541 576-2107.

© Please pick up any litter that you find.Thank you!

How we workThe Nature Conservancy takes a cooperative,pragmatic and scientific approach to conser-vation. We identify places large enough inscale and rich enough in plant and animaldiversity to achieve meaningful, lasting con-servation results. We buy land at fair marketvalue from willing sellers, accept gifts of land,restore key habitats, and work with partnersto support conservation practices on publicand private lands. We contribute to the localeconomy by paying property taxes, hiring andpurchasing goods locally whenever possible,and supporting ecologically sustainable devel-opment activities such as grazing and timberharvesting where appropriate.

The Conservancy is a nonprofit membershiporganization supported by over 24,000households in Oregon and 100 companies.More than 1,100 Oregonians volunteer eachyear to help protect and restore Oregon’snatural heritage.

We thank our many public and private part-ners who make our work possible at SycanMarsh, including:© Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board© Natural Resources Conservation Service© U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service© U.S. Forest Service© ZX Ranch

Welcome to Sycan Marsh Preserve

Recyclable and made from 100% recycled materials. Printed with soy-based ink.

1. Sycan River - Flowing in from the east,this Wild and Scenic River seasonally feedswater into Sycan Marsh, supporting a myriad ofspecies and their habitats. In turn, the marshslowly releases water back into the river – and,ultimately, Upper Klamath Lake and the Pacific.In this high desert environment, the river may bedry at this point in late sumer and fall.

2. Long Creek - Clean, cold water is criticalto the federally protected bull trout. Long Creekis the second largest tributary to the marsh –and the last remaining of three historic bulltrout spawning grounds here. Conservancy ecol-ogists are monitoring the needs and habits ofthese imperiled fish using radio tags and othertechnologies. With partners, we are revitalizingthe creek and surrounding wetlands by restoringnatural water flows and channel complexity andby improving grazing practices.

3. Coyote Creek - Coyote Creek is anothertributary where the Conservancy is restoringstreamside habitats. Looking upstream, you cansee areas where banks are healing and riparian

vegetation is filling in, providing cooling shade,increased habitat complexity, and stability fromerosion. Just north of the creek you may be ableto see areas where springs are seeping from thehillside. Looking east, you may be able to seeareas where we are removing structures andrestoring historic water flow patterns.

4. Forestry work - Approximately 0.5 milenorth of Coyote Creek, you can see where theConservancy is thinning stands of ponderosaand lodgepole pine using environmentally sensi-tive techniques, clearing the way for larger treesto thrive and creating local jobs. Prescribedburns will restore historic conditions and ahealthier forest, in turn benefiting the entiremarsh watershed.

After this point, you may want to drive to USFS Road 28 for nice views of the marsh from thenortheast. Road 28 and other roads continue fora 77-mile loop around the marsh, but the eastside roads are more primitive and not recom-mended.

Legendrailroad grade

roads

preserve boundary

forested lands

wetlands

0 0.5 1 2Miles

Sycan Marsh

USFSRoad 27

USFSRoad 28

1

2

3

To Klamath Falls (78 miles)

#

To Chiloquin(42 miles)

#

To Silver Lake(22 miles)

#

áN

How to get to Sycan Marsh Preserve

From Klamath Falls, take Highway 140 E about 40 miles to Beatty. Ten miles past Beatty, turn left(N) onto USFS Road 30 (Ivory Pine Road). Follow USFS Road 30 for 12.7 miles, where the roadsplits. Take the left fork onto USFS Road 27 for about 25 miles. When you cross the Sycan River, youhave reached Map Point 1.

From La Pine, drive two miles south on Highway 97 and turn left (E) onto Highway 31 towards thetown of Silver Lake. About one mile W of Silver Lake, turn right (S) onto USFS Road 27 (LakeCounty Road 4-11). The sign at the junction is marked “Thompson Reservoir and Silver CreekMarsh Campground.” Follow Road 27 for 22 miles. Near milepost 18 there is a fork in the road;make sure to stay to the right. After continuing another 4.5 miles, you have reached Map Point 4.

To fully enjoy your visit, don’t forget your binoculars. We hope you enjoy the tour!

Welcome to the Sycan Marsh Preserve Self-Guided Auto TourOnce on USFS Road 27, please use this map as a guide for the following points of interest:

Syca

nRive

r

Sycan River

Long Creek

Coyote Creek4

To campgrounds #

July 2005

USFS Road 46

USFS Road 3239

USFS Road 3207